Maltese mushroom (Cynomorium coccineum L.) as source of oil with potential anticancer activity

The present study aimed to examine the potential anticancer properties of fixed oil obtained from Maltese mushroom (Cynomorium coccineum L.), an edible, non-photosynthetic plant, used in traditional medicine of Mediterranean countries to treat various ailments and as an emergency food during the famine. We investigated the effect of the oil, obtained from dried stems by supercritical fractioned extraction with CO2, on B16F10 melanoma and colon cancer Caco-2 cell viability and lipid profile. The oil, rich in essential fatty acids (18:3n-3 and 18:2n-6), showed a significant growth inhibitory effect on melanoma and colon cancer cells. The incubation (24 h) with non-toxic oil concentrations (25 and 50 mu g/mL) induced in both cancer cell lines a significant accumulation of the fatty acids 18:3n-3 and 18:2n-6 and an increase of the cellular levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) with anticancer activity. Moreover, the oil exhibited the ability to potentiate the growth inhibitory effect of the antitumor drug 5-fluorouracil in Caco-2 cells and to influence the melanin content in B16F10 cells. The results qualify C. coccineum as a resource of oil, with potential benefits in cancer prevention, for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications

Transição para a parentalidade, trabalho familiar e saúde das mulheres

During the transition to parenthood, heterosexual couples adopt traditional gender roles. Women undertake more responsibilities in family work (Katz-Wise, Priess, & Hyde, 2010). Difficulties in balancing paid work and family can influence women's health (Rantanen, 2008). This paper aims to disclose discourses (Billig, 1987) that maintain the gender gap in family work during the transition to parenthood. Twenty couples during the third trimester of pregnancy responded to an in-depth interview on expectations about the division of family work and work-family balance. Data were analysed according to the principles of Discourse Analysis (Potter & Wetherell, 1987), with the aim of identifying the interpretive repertoires that support the greater responsibility of women in family work. Results revealed that couples referred to an essentialist view of gender (Connell, 2009), which considered women as essentially predisposed to mothering. Exclusive maternal responsibility for child-care is associated with women's concerns for work-family balance. Findings evidenced the need for interventions aimed at deconstructing discourses that maintain the unequal distribution of responsibilities, in order to prevent health risks for working mothers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Electrostatic interactions contribute to the control of intramolecular thiol-disulfide isomerization in a protein

The roles of structural factors and of electrostatic interactions with the environment on the outcome of thiol–disulfide exchange reactions were investigated in a mutated immunoglobulin domain (I27*) under mechanical stress. An extensive ensemble of molecular dynamics trajectories was generated by means of QM/MM simulations for a total sampling of 5.7 μs. A significant number of thiol–disulfide exchanges were observed, and the Cys32 thiolate preferred to attack Cys55 over Cys24, in agreement with previous experimental and computational studies. The structural features as well as electronic structures of the thiol–disulfide system along the reaction were analyzed, as were the electrostatic interactions with the environment. The previous findings of better accessibility of Cys55 were confirmed. Additionally, the reaction was found to be directed by the electrostatic interactions of the involved sulfur atoms with the molecular environment. The relationships of atomic charges, which stem from the electrostatic interactions, lead to the kinetic preference of the attack on Cys55. Further, QM/MM metadynamics simulations of thiol–disulfide exchange in a small model system with varied artificial external electric potentials revealed changes in reaction kinetics of the same magnitude as in I27*. Therefore, the electrostatic interactions are confirmed to play a role in the regioselectivity of the thiol–disulfide exchange reactions in the protein

A Social IoT-Based Solution for Real-Time Forest Fire Detection

Conservation of the natural ecosystem is a hot topic that is receiving increasing attention not only from the scientific community, but from the entire world population. Forests and woodlands are major contributors to climate change mitigation, able to absorb significant amounts of carbon dioxide. This paper proposes a novel real-time fire monitoring and detection system based on Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) nodes and a Social Internet of Things (SIoT) platform on which fire detection decision making algorithms have been implemented. The results obtained by employing a K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) algorithm and a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) show the ability to detect the slightest variation in the observed parameters, determining the direction and speed of fire propagation with an accuracy of more than 98%

Awake Fiberoptic Intubation Protocols in the Operating Room for Anticipated Difficult Airway: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Awake fiberoptic intubation is one of the recommended strategies for surgical patients with anticipated difficult airway, especially when concurrent difficult ventilation is expected. We performed the first systematic review of randomized controlled trials assessing different protocols for awake fiberoptic intubation in anticipated difficult airway, including studies investigating elective awake fiberoptic intubation for scheduled surgery; randomized controlled trials comparing different methods for performing awake fiberoptic intubation; and adult patients with anticipated difficult airway. We excluded studies in the nonoperating theater settings, randomized controlled trials comparing awake fiberoptic intubation with other techniques, and studies based on simulation. Primary outcomes were success rate and death; secondary outcomes were major adverse events. Thirty-seven randomized controlled trials evaluating 2045 patients and 4 areas were identified: premedication, local anesthesia, sedation, and ancillary techniques to facilitate awake fiberoptic intubation. Quality of evidence was moderate-low and based on small-sampled randomized controlled trials. Overall, 12 of 2045 intubation failures (0.59%) and 7 of 2045 severe adverse events (0.34%) occurred, with no permanent consequences or death. All evaluated methods to achieve local anesthesia performed similarly well. No differences were observed in success rate with different sedatives. Dexmedetomidine resulted in fewer desaturation episodes compared to propofol and opioids with or without midazolam (relative risk, 0.51 [95% CI, 0.28-0.95]; P = .03); occurrence of desaturation was similar with remifentanil versus propofol, while incidence of apnoea was lower with sevoflurane versus propofol (relative risk, 0.43 [95% CI, 0.22-0.81]; P = .01). A high degree of efficacy and safety was observed with minimal differences among different protocols; dexmedetomidine might offer a better safety profile compared to other sedatives

Efficacy of the combination of cisplatin with either gemcitabine and vinorelbine or gemcitabine and paclitaxel in the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer: a phase III randomised trial of the Southern Italy Cooperative Oncology Group (SICOG 0101)

Triplet regimens were occasionally reported to produce a higher response rate (RR) than doublets in locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This trial was conducted to assess (i) whether the addition of cisplatin (CDDP) to either gemcitabine (GEM) and vinorelbine (VNR) or GEM and paclitaxel (PTX) significantly prolongs overall survival (OS) and (ii) to compare the toxicity of PTX-containing and VNR-containing combinations

Vasopressors During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials.

OBJECTIVES Several randomized controlled trials have compared adrenaline (epinephrine) with alternative therapies in patients with cardiac arrest with conflicting results. Recent observational studies suggest that adrenaline might increase return of spontaneous circulation but worsen neurologic outcome. We systematically compared all the vasopressors tested in randomized controlled trials in adult cardiac arrest patients in order to identify the treatment associated with the highest rate of return of spontaneous circulation, survival, and good neurologic outcome. DESIGN Network meta-analysis. PATIENTS Adult patients undergoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. INTERVENTIONS PubMed, Embase, BioMed Central, and the Cochrane Central register were searched (up to April 1, 2017). We included all the randomized controlled trials comparing a vasopressor with any other therapy. A network meta-analysis with a frequentist approach was performed to identify the treatment associated with the highest likelihood of survival. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Twenty-eight studies randomizing 14,848 patients in 12 treatment groups were included. Only a combined treatment with adrenaline, vasopressin, and methylprednisolone was associated with increased likelihood of return of spontaneous circulation and survival with a good neurologic outcome compared with several other comparators, including adrenaline. Adrenaline alone was not associated with any significant difference in mortality and good neurologic outcome compared with any other comparator. CONCLUSIONS In randomized controlled trials assessing vasopressors in adults with cardiac arrest, only a combination of adrenaline, vasopressin, and methylprednisolone was associated with improved survival with a good neurologic outcome compared with any other drug or placebo, particularly in in-hospital cardiac arrest. There was no significant randomized evidence to support neither discourage the use of adrenaline during cardiac arrest

Accumulation of neutral lipids in peripheral blood mononuclear cells as a distinctive trait of Alzheimer patients and asymptomatic subjects at risk of disease

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Alzheimer's disease is the most common progressive neurodegenerative disease. In recent years, numerous progresses in the discovery of novel Alzheimer's disease molecular biomarkers in brain as well as in biological fluids have been made. Among them, those involving lipid metabolism are emerging as potential candidates. In particular, an accumulation of neutral lipids was recently found by us in skin fibroblasts from Alzheimer's disease patients. Therefore, with the aim to assess whether peripheral alterations in cholesterol homeostasis might be relevant in Alzheimer's disease development and progression, in the present study we analyzed lipid metabolism in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from Alzheimer's disease patients and from their first-degree relatives.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Blood samples were obtained from 93 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease and from 91 of their first-degree relatives. As controls we utilized 57, cognitively normal, over-65 year-old volunteers and 113 blood donors aged 21-66 years, respectively. Data are reported as mean ± standard error. Statistical calculations were performed using the statistical analysis software Origin 8.0 version. Data analysis was done using the Student t-test and the Pearson test.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Data reported here show high neutral lipid levels and increased ACAT-1 protein in about 85% of peripheral blood mononuclear cells freshly isolated (<it>ex vivo</it>) from patients with probable sporadic Alzheimer's disease compared to about 7% of cognitively normal age-matched controls. A significant reduction in high density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels in plasma from Alzheimer's disease blood samples was also observed. Additionally, correlation analyses reveal a negative correlation between high density lipoprotein-cholesterol and cognitive capacity, as determined by Mini Mental State Examination, as well as between high density lipoprotein-cholesterol and neutral lipid accumulation. We observed great variability in the neutral lipid-peripheral blood mononuclear cells data and in plasma lipid analysis of the subjects enrolled as Alzheimer's disease-first-degree relatives. However, about 30% of them tend to display a peripheral metabolic cholesterol pattern similar to that exhibited by Alzheimer's disease patients.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We suggest that neutral lipid-peripheral blood mononuclear cells and plasma high density lipoprotein-cholesterol determinations might be of interest to outline a distinctive metabolic profile applying to both Alzheimer's disease patients and asymptomatic subjects at higher risk of disease.</p